Door closer



DOOR CLOSER Filed April 28, 1938 W. WENNMANN INVENTOR William W'zzzzmam 1i ATTORNEY Patented July 18, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 8 Claims.

This invention relates to door closers and door check devices in general, and especially to the kind adapted to be associated with, or made a part of door hinges.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a device of this kind, wherein two cooperating hinges, consisting of hinge leaves and leaf ears, are provided, instead with a conventional hinge bolt, with a hinge closer, which is so constructed and arranged as to normally urge the leaves towards one another, and wherein means are provided for first retarding, and subsequently facilitating the completion .of the movement of said leaves.

Another, more specific object of the present invention is to provide a door closer in the form of a hinge, wherein the conventional bolt is substituted by an elongated hollow body, provided with chambers or compartments for accommodating a hydraulic piston, and the mechanism for operating the same, and with which body is associated an adjustable torsion spring for normally urging the leaves of the hinge towards one another, and wherein the piston operating mechanism comprises, in part, an external gear which engages another gear, secured to one of the ears of one leaf of the hinge, while the elongated body is fastened to the ear or cars of the other hinge leaf, and wherein means are provided for regulating the movement of the piston for the purpose of governing the speed of operation of the device, and wherein means are provided for arresting the operation of the device at any desired point.

The foregoing and still further objects and important advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the ensuing description and the accompanying drawing, which latter, although showing a specific form of my device, is by no means intended to restrict me to the construction illustrated, and in which Fig. 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view through my device in its presently preferred form.

Fig. 2 is a top view of my device with the leaves of the hinge in closed position and shown attached to the door and door frame, and'wherein the upper portion of the device, including the Wood portion of the door and door frame, are shown in cross section on a plane indicated at 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a cross-section taken on lines 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a cross-section taken on lines 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Referring now specifically to the drawing, nu-

merals l0 and H denote the plates or leaves of a hinge which are attachable in the usual manner to doors, windows, or the like, and are preferably embedded in the wood of the door and door frame, as shown in Fig. 2. The leaves are provided with the usual ears l2 and I3, and I4 and [5, respectively, which in this case, are somewhat larger than is required for ordinary hinges.

Attached to one or two of such ears of one of the leaves, such as leaf I0, is an elongated cylindrical hollow body I6, which takes the place of hinge bolt. This body may be made either in one piece, or may be composed of several units; but in the present case, I have illustrated body Hi to comprise a hollow cylinder which terminates at its bottom into an enlargement l'l, provided with a downward extension 18. Body I6 is held by means of set screws l9 against movement'in ear I 2.

Forming a continuation of body l6, and abutting with enlargement l'l, there is provided a sleeve 20, against which is placed an adjustable member 2|, which latter is provided with a hub 22 and a plurality of peripherally arranged sockcts 23 for the reception of a turning tool (not shown) and of an insertable stop pin 24. Through member 21 passes a rod 25 which is provided with threaded ends 26 and 21. End 26 is fixedly secured within extension 18, while end 21 is engaged by nuts 28 and 29 for holding member 21 in desired relation to body I6. Rod 25 has a central bore through which passes a pin 30 which is made adjustable by means of its threaded end 3| and knob 32. Threaded end 3| engages a bushing 33 which forms a part of the stufling box provided at the bottom .of rod 25. A washer 34, arranged at the interior, upper end of rod 25, and the stufiing box at the lower end of the rod, provide tight fits for adjusting pin 30.

Securely held in extension I8 and hub 22 are drical inlay in the form of piston guide 36, provided either with an integral bottom portion 31, or with a separate bottom portion, not shown. Piston guide 36 has at its exterior surface bleeder passages 38, terminating at their upper ends at 39, and extending downwards to meet communicating bottom passages 40, provided in bottom portion 31. At the center of the latter portion there is arranged a bleeder valve 4|, which is seated in a through passage, connecting bleeder passages 40 and 38 with the bottom end of the interior of piston guide 36, while upper ends 39 of passages 38 connect with the upper portion of the piston guide. Valve 4| may be adjusted to permit more or less liquid to pass by the valve. This adjustment is made possible through adjusting pin 30 from the bottom of the device.

Within piston guide 36 there operates a piston 42, at the bottom of which is secured a gland 43 which has a dished peripheral flange. Directly beneath gland 43 is a flat washer 44 for spreading the gland, and below flat washer 44 there is another, dished Washer 45 in the form of an inverted cup for accommodating the head of screw 46. The latter not only holds the two washers and the gland in position, but also connects the piston 42 to piston rod 41. Between washers 44 and 45 there is held an expansion spring 48 which urges the dished flange of gland 43 against the wall of piston guide 36. Piston 42 is equipped with a through passage 49, a valve seat and a valve 50, and just below the valve there are provided, in an alignment with passage 49, suitable apertures in gland 43 and in washer 44. In order to'prevent these apertures from shifting out of alignment, a pin 5| passes through washer 45, washer 44 and gland 43, and into the piston body 42. Valve 50 is arranged to open and to pass liquid through the piston when the latter travels in upward direction, and to close through passage 49 when the piston travel is reversed.

Piston guide 36 is closed at its top by a cylindrical member 52 resting against a washer 53. Member 52 is provided with an inlet check valve 54, normally held closed by spring 55, and may be manually opened by a pin pressed against valve 54. At the center of member 52 there is a stuffing box with an adjustable bushing 56, through which latter passes piston rod 47. Member 52 is held against the upper edge of piston guide 36 by means of a sleeve 51, which latter is held against movement by ring 58 engaging the threaded upper enlarged end l6 of cylindrical body l6. Ring 58 is provided with depressions 59 for facilitating its attachment and removal.

Within the enlarged end l6 there is journalled a crank shaft 60, held in place by means of bushing 6|, and which shaft extends outwards at the right end, upon which latter end is mounted a gear 62, by means of which shaft 60 is operated. To crank 63 of the shaft there is attached at 64 a connecting rod 65, which operatively joins the crank with the upper end of piston rod 41, at 66.

Secured to ear I 4 of leaf N, at 61, is another gear 68 which is in engagement with gear 62. In ring 58 there is provided a closing cup 69 to which is secured, by means of chain 10, a yoke H which is intended to be placed between gears 62 and 68 to prevent their operation whenever desired.

Referring now specifically to Fig. 2, it will be seen that the enlarged portion l6 of the hollow body is provided with cutouts 12 to facilitate the movement of crank 43 when the piston is operated.

Operation My device is secured to a door as would be an ordinary hinge. First, spring 35 is brought under sufiicient tension to readily close the opened door when released. This adjustment is accomplished by turning member 2|, say, in clockwise direction, whereupon pin 24 is inserted and permitted to rest against leaf N so that member 2| may not revert to its original position. When the spring is thus adjusted and the door readily closes, liquid, such as oil, is introduced into the upper compartment of the hollow body. Now, while valve 54 is depressed, the liquid is permitted to enter and fill the piston compartment. If necessary, more liquid is added so as to build up a reserve in the upper chamber for replenishing the liquid in the lower chamber, when such replenishment is required.

Assume that hinge leaf N is attached to the door frame and is stationary, whereas hinge leaf I0 is attached to the door and, therefore, is movable. When the door is opened, gear 62 of the crank shaft rolls over gear 68 and operates the crank shaft, whereby the piston is moved in upward direction. The liquid within the piston chamber, now above the piston, readily passes through passage 49 to beneath the piston, while spring 35 is brought under increased torsion.

When the door is released, spring 35 tends to close the door, and while the closing of the door takes place, gear 62 will roll backwards to its original position, and piston 42 is moved downwards. Inasmuch as valve 56 now prevents the passage of the liquid through the piston, the piston will compress the liquid beneath it, and therefore retard the closing movement of the door. This downward movement of the piston may be regulated by the adjustment of bleeder valve 4| through pin 30. By screwing the pin in or out, the proper setting is found for the desired closing speed. Thus adjusted, bleeder valve 4| will permit a slow seepage of the liquid, compressed by the piston, through passages 40 and 38 and through openings 39 into the upper portion of the piston chamber, that is to say, above the piston. When the piston nears or reaches its lowermost position, shown in Fig. 1, the compression of the liquid within the piston chamber ceases, whereby spring 35 is freed to complete the closing of the door.

Hollow body "5 being divided into two distinct chambers, that is the lower piston chamber and the upper liquid reservoir, and inasmuch as the piston chamber is practically air tight, an evaporation or thickening of the liquid is practically prevented. It will be seldom necessary to replenish the liquid in the piston chamber; in the event, however, that such replenishing is required, the only thing necessary is to remove cap 69, insert a wire through the opening and depress valve 54, whereby liquid is permitted to enter from the upper reservoir into the piston chamber. When it is desired to keep the door opened in any position, yoke 1| is inserted between the teeth of gear 62 and 68 and the movement of the door is stopped.

Re'sume' The aforedescribed device is of extremely simple and inexpensive construction and is positive in its operation. It is readily installed and may be easily adjusted as to the desired closing speed, and due to its construction and arrangement, the device should operate correctly for long time periods withoutthe requirement of replacement or repairs.

While I have shown only one embodiment of my device, it is quite evident that for specific purposes changes in construction and in size may be required, and I therefore reserve for myself the right to make such changes and other improvements as may become necessary, without departing from the broad scope of my invention, defined in the annexed claims.

I claim:

1. In a door closer, the combination with a door hinge having leaves provided with ears, of a chamber immovably associated with the ear of one hinge leaf, a hydraulic piston mechanism Within said chamber, operating means for said mechanism, a portion of which extends outwards from the chamber, means immovably associated With the ear of the other leaf and in operative engagement with said extending portion of said operating means, a torsion spring associated with one of its ends to said chamber, the other end being adapted to be adjustable relative to said other leaf and engaging the latter, for the pur pose of normally urging the leaves together, said piston mechanism being constructed and arranged to first retard the action of the spring and to finally release it to complete its full action, an auxiliary reservoir for liquid arranged within the chamber, a closure for said reservoir and means v associated with the closure for holding the mechanism against operation at any desired position.

2. In a door closer, as set forth in claim 1, said piston mechanism comprising a crank shaft with an exterior gear, a piston and a piston rod actuated by said crank shaft, said piston having a valve, adapted to open when the piston travels upwards, a gland in the piston, means for normally spreading the gland outwardly, and means for holding the gland against rotation.

3. In a door closer, as set forth in claim 1, said chamber comprising a cylinder, piston guide means within the lower portion of the cylinder, said guide means having exterior bleeder passages and a bleeder valve, an intermediate member sealing the guide means and provided with an inlet valve, a sleeve engaging said member and means for holding said sleeve, said member and said piston guide against movement within said chamber.

4. In a combination hinge and closer, a pair of cooperating hinge members, consisting of leaves provided with ears, a closing and checking device associated with said members and comprising a hollow, liquid containing body fixedly held in the ear of one leaf, a hydraulic piston operative within said body, a crank actuating the piston, an exterior gear secured to the crank and engaging another gear, this other gear being immovably attached to the ear of the other leaf, a torsion spring connected at one of its ends with said hollow body, its other end being held in a mounting which is adjustable relative to said other leaf, means for removably and operatively securing said mounting to said body, thereby facilitating the adjustment of said mounting, and of said spring for the desired torsion, the device being so constructed and arranged that when one of the leaves is forcibly moved in one direction in respect to the other leaf, and is subsequently released, said spring is first brought under increased torsion, and said piston is simultaneously moved to attain a position at one end of the liquid column within the body, whereupon the released spring will tend to move the leaves in opposite direction, while the piston, now forced against the column of liquid, will slow down the action of the spring until the piston reaches a position at which it no longer compresses the liquid, thus freeing the spring to complete the leaf movement;

5. In a combination hinge and closer, as set forth in claim 4, said hollow body containing a piston guide chamber provided with a bleeder valve and an exterior bleeder passage, an inter mediate member closing the piston guide chamber and provided with an inlet valve and a piston rod guide, a sleeve engaging said intermediate member, and adjustable fastening means adapted to forcibly bear against said sleeve for fastening said member and said piston guide in proper relation to said body.

6. In a combination hinge and closer, as set forth in claim 4, said hollow body containing a piston guide chamber provided with a bleeder valve and an exterior bleeder passage, an intermediate member closing the piston guide chamber and provided with an inlet valve and a piston rod guide, a sleeve engaging said intermediate member, and adjustable fastening means adapted to forcibly bear against said sleeve for fastening said member and said piston guide in proper relation to said body, said intermediate member dividing the hollow body into two compartments, the upper compartment serving as reserve reservoir for liquid to be added to the liquid in the piston guide chamber, when necessary, a closing cap for the reservoir removably secured to said adjustable fastening means, and means suspended from said cap for arresting the movement of the gears to render the device inoperative at a desired position of said leaves.

7. In a combination hinge and closer, as set forth in claim 4, said hydraulic piston comprising a piston body having a through passage with a valve seat and a valve, the latter adapted to open in one direction while the piston moves in opposite direction and to close when the movement of the piston is reversed, a dished gland, held against rotation and adjacent to one face of the piston, resilient means urging the dished annular flange of the gland outwards, said gland having an aperture registering with the through passage in the piston body, and a flanged washer holding said resilient means and said gland in place.

8. The combination with a pair of hinges 113V,

ing leaves and cooperating ears, of a gear fastened to the ear of one leaf, a hinge bolt in the form of a cylindrical, hollow body passing through the ears of both leaves and being fastened to the ear of the other leaf, the upper body portion forming a liquid containing chamber, closed at the bottom, the lower body portion containing a torsion spring provided with means for adjusting its torsion, a piston operatively mounted in said chamber, a crank shaft for spring.

WIILIAM WENNMANN. 

